TORONTO — With news from its U.S. parent about lower sales and operating earnings at Sears Canada in the critical holiday quarter, the future looks increasingly grim for the Canadian department store chain as rival Target Canada gets ready to open stores here in two months.

OTTAWA — It’s a sign of an increasingly tight retail market.
Putting clothes on your back and shoes on your feet has been getting cheaper year after year as retailers — including U.S-based outlets such as Walmart and Target — battle for customers in a near-stagnant market.
In February, prices for clothing and footwear declined 0.5% from the same month a year earlier, and almost 9% since the 2000, according to Statistics Canada’s consumer price index, released Wednesday.

The “Ice Bucket Challenge” has lured athletes, celebrities, politicians and rock stars, but don’t expect U.S. diplomats, Barack Obama or Ohio Catholics to get in on the fun.
The charity stunt calls on people to post videos on social media of themselves dumping a bucket of ice water on their heads – or having someone else handle the chilly chore. They also have to publicly name others to do the same thing within 24 hours or donate $100 to the ALS Association. Many people do both.

As Tammy Moore watched an online video of NHL star Sidney Crosby shovelling ice into a bucket of water, stirring it around, dumping it on his head and grinning, she realized things were about to get interesting at the ALS Society of Canada.

While one might think that the floors of Malaysia Airlines HQ are covered in egg shells right about now after hundreds of its passengers lost their lives in two tragic incidents this year, the company is under fire now for promoting an “Ultimate Bucket List” contest in New Zealan

Going on a reality television show likely won’t fix all of your restaurant’s shortcomings, even if a hot-headed chef uses all the profanities in the world. Just ask the owners of half the restaurants to be featured on Gordon Ramsay’s now-defunct Kitchen Nightmares. Here’s a hint, their eateries are now defunct, too.